Compressible stopper



Sept. 22, 1959 L. D. ORSER 2,905,355

COMPRESSIBLE STOPPER Filed July 17. 1956 Eli E ZYZLU T Lawrezzce D. 021562" United States Patent 2,905,355 COMPRESSIBLE STOPPER Lawrence D. Orser, Cedar 'Falls, Iowa, assignor to (shamberlain Corporation, Waterlo'o, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application July 17, 1956, Serial No. 598,421 1 Claim. 01. 220-245 This invention relates to improvements in a compressible stopper, and more particularly tov a stopper for sealingly closing and opening in a vessel, a stopper being designed to effect a seal that will withstand relatively high liquid or fluid pressure, and the invention being highly desirable for use as a drain hole stopper in a tank or the like, although the invention will-have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled inthe art. 1

In the past, many various types of compressible stoppers have been developed, but in all instances of which l-am aware, these stoppers were most frequently used in-openings defined by cylindrical necks and the like, wherein almost the entire length of the stopper was contiguous with a vessel wall defining the opening. Consequently, these formerly known stoppers effected Pa-tented Sept.' 22,1959

over both the open and the closed ends of said body part, and with means for drawing the plates together so as to compress the body part and cause lateral expansion thereof.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of a quick acting sealing stopper comprising a cup-like element of resilient material having a bolt aperture in the closed end thereof, and also having an integral lateral flange around the open end thereof, there being a rigid plate disposed over each end oflthe body part, with a bolt extending through both plates and the body part with a wing nut engaged with the projecting end of the bolt.

Still a further feature of the invention is the provi sion of a hollow substantially cylindrical stopper of resilient material, with compression means extending through the stopper, the compression means being'of considerably less diameter than the inside diameter of the stopper itself, so that great lateral expansion of the stopper is occasioned with the use of little force on the compression means.

While some of the more salient features, character istics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

aseal'adjacent the Walls defining the opening, but did not effect a seal against the wall of the vessel extraneous of the opening, or in other words, did not efiect a double seal. Furthermore, stoppers of this characterknown in the past were not as quickly operable as desired, and frequently since they only effect anannular seal at one location within an opening, required an *objectionable amount of force in order to efiect that particular seal. In many other cases, stoppers heretofore known-:were equipped with cams and lever arms in order to expedite actuation thereof, but in such eventthe sealing eifect of the stopper was limited by the size of the cam and a predetermined amount of sealing. effect could not be obtained. Moreover, stoppers of such construction were objectionably expensive and sometimes so costly in construction as to prohibit their use.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a stopper that may be very facilely operated to either establish or effect a release of the seal and the actuation may readily be accomplished by the hand of the user without an objectionable amount of force being utilized.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a stopper so constructed that it not only effects a seal within an opening or port, but also eifects another seal around the opening or port so that there is a positive sealing engagement wherever the stopper comes in contact with the port wall or vessel wall adjacent the port.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a compressible stopper of the character set forth herein which may readily be inserted in either direction through a port and as quickly adjusted into sealing engagement.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a stopper embodying a body part in cup-shape having a closed end and an open end with a lateral flange extending around the open end, and means associated with said body part to compress the same and cause lateral expansion thereof.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a quick acting sealing stopper comprising a cup-shaped body part of resilient material with a rigid plate disposed I Figure 1 is an end view of a compressible stopper embodying principles of the instant invention; v

Figure 2' is a central vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line II-II of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with parts showninelevation; 1 I

Figure 3 is an exploded View, with parts shown in stant invention prior to assemblyi and central vertical section, illustrating all parts of the in.

Figure 4 is a fragmentarycentral sectional view, with.

tially cylindrical and generally lcup-shaped. I This ibody portion is made of resilient material such: as rubber,

synthetic rubber, or the equivalent, and is provided with a closed end as'indicated 'at 2 and an open end 3. Around the open end 3 is a laterally extending flange 4 integral with the body part. It is a simple expedient to mold the entire body part in one piece. Preferably centrally thereof, the closed end 2 of the body part is provided with a relatively small aperture to accommodate compression means which, in the illustrated showing is in the form of a headed bolt 5. The bolt 5 also extends through a rigid plate 6, preferably made of metal, and in the finished construction the head of the bolt 5 is brought against the plate 6 and brazed or equivalently secured thereto in a permanent manner. It will be noted from the showing in Figure 2, that the bolt is of considerably less diameter than the inside of the body 2.

Another metallic plate 7 also apertured as at 8 to accommodate the bolt 5 is disposed over the open end and the flange 4 of the body part 2. This plate preferably is centrally recessed as indicated at 9 to extend a short distance within the body part while the outer margin of the plate intimately and flatly overlies the flange 4. A wing nut 10 engages the projecting end of the bolt outside the plate 7.

When the stopper is assembled, it will have a normal condition or shape as seen in Figure 2. This is prior to the application of compression of the body part by 3 virtue-pf tightening the wing-nut and thus drawing the plates 6 and 7 toward each other. 7

In operation, the instant invention is exceedingly simple to manipulate, and so positive in its action as to be sne e a n ith ndins eon d able r ess wi h the stopper assembled .as- ,i-naF-igure 2, it maybe inserted through a port in a vesseland tighteneddownto: a fect a seal. In the present instance, with reference to-figure 4,;Lhave-illustrated the stopper shown withthezgdrain port; in iarspray-ing tank gw-herefromliquid is sprayed-' under pressure built upwithin-the tank. ,Such spray'tanks frequently have pressures exceeding 200 pounds per square 7 inch, and consequently a positive stopper -.over the :drain, opening is essential -In this instance,;the tankll; is providedwith a drain-openingqdefined bygan outwardly turned margin or neck-l2 terminating' in .an abrupt circumscribing edge. The stopper may be inrted in the opening -.through themarginUIZ until-the insideiace ofatheiflangebears against thexabrupt edge ofthe margin12, as seen FigureA. Then, the wing nutlflrnay be tightened on the vbolt v .drawingrthe plates 6, and Ttowardsl each other-and compressing-the hollow bodyjportion of thestopper. This compressionresults in an expansion oftthe stopper inside-the opening .as indicated at 13 which effects a positiveand unbreakable seal. ,At the same time, a positive seal isvestablished as indicated-at, around the abrupt .,edge. of the margin defining the idrainport. Thus, thereis a .sealwaround the edge of the margin, tight contact all over theinside surface of the margin, and an efieetive'seal insidethe opening by virtue of the expansion at ,13. Notyonlyis there in etfectadoubleseal, but a continuousormultipleseaL throughout all portions of the drain port. Also,

stantly highly eifective in withstanding considerable pressures. .1

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

In combination, a container not relatively thin rigid material having an opening in a wall thereof defined by a relatively shortaoutwardly. projectingne'ck terminating in anHabrupt edge, a stopperremovab ly inserted in said opening for eifecting a liquid tight closure and including a generally cup-shaped body provided with ,ja, generally cylindrical wall of an outside diameter substantially the same as the innerndiametert of said neck and being at least twicetas long as the neck, said cylindrical wall having at one end a closure wall centrally apertured and at the opposite end a laterally projecting annular flange which is substantially wider than the thickness. of said neck ,and isvlengagedwith theedge of "the neck and with the. cylindrical wall-projecting intozthe container beyond'the inner end .of .said -neck,*a;rigid plate of about the same diameter the'outside diameter ,ofisaid cylindrical wall :lyinggagainst the ;outside 7 face of the ,end, closure -,wall, a rigid, plate of a diameter compression of the stopper causes aninward. .pressureof the closed end 2 aroundthe'bolt 5 so that thereisno danger of leakage between the closedendz andthe platen. Also, itwillbe especially noted-thatonly a normal amount of pressure ,on the wing nut 10-is required, a pressure that is not objectionable forpmanipulation by thehand ofauser. It will further benoted that thestopper maybe inserted in the oppositedirection, through the drain port, if so desired and in that instance, the flange 4 would etfectvthe seal'around the opening inside the .tank 11', and the swelling of ,the stopper. as .at 13 due to compression of the body part thereof would effect anothertightseal around the abrupt edgeof. the marginal portion defining the port.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have providedva simple form of compressible stopper, evenly manipulated, and which is so constructed as to be into overlie said lateral flange and bearingthereagainst and, having an offset central portiongof substantiallythe same diameter as the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall;where;i-t;openspast-said flange, said ,offsetportion extending into the open end of said cylindrical wall and in contact therewithmesistinginward deflection of :the flange, and -,bolt ;and nut means extending centrally through'said plates andthe aperture in, said-endwallzand operating by-tigl1tening of thenut'on theboltrto -draw said p-plates toward one ;another and thereby ;bul ge ;the cylindrical wall inside-the container into lateral;sealing relation at: the inner end of said necjk while at the-same time clamping said flange against said edge of the;-neck to therebyefiect a seal against escape ofliquid from th o ta ne nererencescned a the'file of this patent UNITED, STATES PATENTS.

1,495,000 Cuthhertson May 20,1924

2,760,667 Moeller Aug. 28, 1956 12,782,958 Hurley Feb. 26,1957

FOREIGN PATENTS 736 It y V-a .I--. --V g- 7; ,882 

